6 Steps to Manifest Your New Year's Resolutions (No, Really)

One of the questions I get asked most frequently is how to set, keep, and achieve New Year's resolutions. And I'm not surprise: how many years have you lost motivation to achieve your resolutions by February, or forgotten about what they even were by July? You're not alone–according to U.S. News & World Report, 80 percent of resolutions fail (depressing, right?). So what does it take to be in the 20 percent that succeeds?

The big "how" we often forget is the action and the belief; getting clear on how to achieve what we want and then manifesting it into fruition. Manifesting is not simply imagining and hoping it happens; manifesting means working with the universe to get out of your own way. So, no matter what your resolutions are, here are six steps to achieve your resolutions, change your life, and manifest everything you want (guaranteed!):

1. Identify your "Why"

So you've probably already set your intentions to go to the gym every day or get a promotion. But why do you want to lose weight, eat healthier, or earn more money? My clients know this question well. At the beginning of every program, we set goals for each month, but then assess the why behind it. Is it to gain more confidence, feel stronger, or live a longer life? Bottom line: set your resolutions, but make sure you also know you care about achieving them in the first place. Take some time to reflect on why accomplishing this goal is important to you and how it will make a difference in your life. When you know the "why," you won’t be thinking, “I have to wake up at 7 a.m. to exercise because I'm supposed to.” You’ll be thinking, “I want to wake up at 7 a.m. to exercise because it makes me feel so much happier and healthier throughout the day.”

2. Set up your environment for success

You are what you eat, but you are where you live too, so rearrange your home environment based on your goals. Surround yourself with motivating images, post your mantra on your mirror, desk, or fridge. Start a vision board filled with motivating images like a picture of yourself from when you felt your healthiest or a magazine collage. You can also post healthy recipes or pictures of women you admire. Whatever you decide is a visual representation of what you want to achieve, seeing your goals as often as possible will keep you motivated. Beyond vision boards and mantras, make sure your home is setting you up for success. Keep your blender in an accessible spot, display healthier cookbooks on the shelves, leave your yoga mat out, turn your bedroom into a relaxing oasis, and look to principals of Feng Shui based on your goals.

3. Be flexible

From now until 2024, there will times when you’re too tired to work out, need to take a mental health day from work, or want to enjoy a glass of wine and an entire Dominos pizza on a Friday night. Those times don’t mean you’re failing at your resolutions; they mean you’re listening to what your body needs. If you’re not flexible with your resolutions, you’ll never be able to keep them. To hold yourself accountable, stay focused on the overarching goals like feeling more confident, progressing in your career, or treating your body well. It will help you stay motivated to keep your goals, but most importantly, you’ll be listening to your body instead of external expectations. Even resolutions need balance instead of perfection.

4. Think, act, dress, and feel like you've already achieved it

How would you live differently if you already lost the weight or got that promotion? Would you communicate differently, or maybe dress a little differently? Would you invest in more workout gear, kitchenware, or nicer clothes because you'd know you deserve it? You know the saying, "dress for the job you want, not the job you have?" There's actually some magical manifesting truth to it. When we treat ourselves like we deserve it and we act like we already have it, whatever we want will materialize right in front of us.

Take some time to visualize yourself achieving your resolutions. What is your life like, how do you eat, how do you act, and what are your relationships like? Make a list of ways your life is different, record what your daily schedule would be like, or write a character profile about your best self. Visualize often what this looks like, and start acting, dressing, eating, and thinking as if you have already achieved your goal. The resolutions will effortlessly follow.

5. Feel whole where you are now

The biggest problem with resolutions is that focusing on what we have not already achieved takes away our power. We forget to focus on where we're at now, which is the missing ingredient to living the best possible life. Here's a little secret that will undoubtedly change your life if you put it into practice (guaranteed!): to manifest everything you want, you have to visualize your future dreams while still staying happy in the present moment. Aim to feel so whole that you still have dreams, desires, and goals, but your happiness does not depend on whether or not you reach them. Now that's when everything you're meant to have will materialize right in front of you. Do everything you can to be happy and love who you are right now.

6. Invest in your resolutions

Resolutions often fail because there's nothing on the line. You can make promises to yourself all day long, but you have to invest in them to manifest into fruition. A perfect formula of investing money, energy, and time into your resolutions will ensure you'll achieve them. First up: energy and time. Make sure you're actually putting in the time by scheduling workouts, financial check-ins, or meal prepping into your calendar and planner. Then honor those plans like you would any meeting or appointment: show up on time, be prepared, and never cancel.

Likewise, buying a new workout set, the supplements you've been wanting to try, or nicer quality foods (like organic produce or plant-based snacks) ensures you won't let those items go to waste. I'll let you in on a little secret: one of the pillars of my coaching programs is investment. Investing in your health goals means you'll prioritize them and want to make the most of the time you're paying for. That's where real change happens. Whether it's hiring a coach to help you achieve your resolutions in six months (#shamelessplug), or simply treating yourself to new equipment and scheduling in your calendar, investing time, energy, and money is the secret formula to turning your resolutions into action. After all, the most worthy investment is yourself and the life you've always dreamed of having.

Ready to invest in your resolutions and achieve your best self in 2023? Get a free consultation now



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Kelly Etz

Kelly Etz is a graphic designer, writer, and fisherman sweater enthusiast based in Chicago. She gets her best work done after 1am and spends too much money on fancy shampoo.

https://www.instagram.com/ketzdesign/
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